Worth noting

• The Rangers may be considering trading Nathan, but Washington sounds like he doesn't think Joakim Soria is ready to take over as closer. Soria missed 1 1/2 years because of Tommy John surgery, and he has made just six appearances since being activated off the disabled list.

Said Washington: "I think his intelligence is there, but he's still seeking the command and crispness on his pitches. He knows what he's doing and the more he gets the ball, the better he will be. Right now though, I don't want to over-stress him."

• Triple-A Round Rock catcher Jose Felix has suffered a fractured hamate bone in his left hand and will undergo surgery later this week. He will be out 6-8 weeks. Felix, highly regarded for his defensive ability, was hitting .270 for Round Rock but with a .291 on-base percentage and a .306 slugging percentage.

• Catcher Jorge Alfaro, who is the No. 1 ranked prospect in the Rangers system by MLB.com, has been activated off the disabled list at Class A Hickory. He was sidelined with a fractured left hand that forced him to miss the All-Star Futures Game in New York earlier this month.

• Michael Kirkman, who has been sidelined since June 7 while getting treatment for skin cancer, is scheduled to pitch five innings for Round Rock on Friday in his first medical rehab assignment.